how to get back into lifting

you say that you don't want to add muscle, so you probably won't since you're a girl, and if you maintain a calorie deficit, you won't be putting on tons of muscle in the manner of a few weeks.

what you might see is you getting stronger, and some slight definition which would be the result of burning some body fat.

but to get back into lifting, you just go lift. be very very conservative in the weights you start with. track everything in a notebook, and aim to progress a little every week.

i did weight training for 2 months and then stopped because i didnt see any changes in weight or measurements and even felt weaker for some odd reason. im thinking of giving it another shot but have no motivation to. i dont want to add any more muscle but i want to keep my existing lean muscle. any tips?

What was your diet like? what was your routine like? what did you sleep like?

Needs more info.

We don't know anything about your routine, but even based on what little you said, we do know that you didn't stick with it long enough to see results. It takes longer than 2 months.

Try a good dose of perseverance

If it were me....... I would eat at maintenance and not worry about maintaining a deficit. And you need to be eating enough protein. I also would not worry about not being able to add 5 pounds to the bar every workout as long as you are pushing yourself. Given your current stats, the only thing you need to see the results you want is PATIENCE. Small changes, given enough time will get you where you want to be.

I was following stronglifts compound movements but wouldn't be able.to add 5 ounds each session, so id add 10 every week. There would be days I ate at a small deficitbut would mainly and still do eat maintenance. However I have found that I don't consume enough protein and if I do, I go over my limit. Btw I am 115 pounds, 26 f, and 5'0

i don't know stronglifts (i follow 5/3/1 when i lift) but you're not really supposed to add five pounds each session. on the leg lifts you might be able to add 5-10 pounds every week, but on the upper body you might be adding 5 every other week.

This is not correct, on stronglifts you are supposed to add 5lbs every session, but if you can not finish your 5 sets, you do not add, until you are able to finish 5 sets.

Adding 10 lbs per week is not a good idea for stronglifts, the idea is to increase gradually, so a 10lb increase would be too much for the program.

Your best bet is to just add 5lbs whenever you can finish all 5 sets of an exercise at a weight.

I was following stronglifts compound movements but wouldn't be able.to add 5 ounds each session, so id add 10 every week. There would be days I ate at a small deficitbut would mainly and still do eat maintenance. However I have found that I don't consume enough protein and if I do, I go over my limit. Btw I am 115 pounds, 26 f, and 5'0

What is a "small deficit" and what are the NET cals you normally consume?

With Stronglifts, if you're a total beginner, you might find 5x5 to be too much volume when you start adding plates. You might have found you can go 5x5 with the empty bar with good form, stack 5lbs on next session and go 5x5 with good form, but the next session you're barely managing. It's a combination of too much volume on not enough food. You'd likely need a calorie surplus in order to continue making progress after a while.

I'd suggest still following the program, if you like it, but just going 3x5 instead and coming back for more advice when you hit a bodyweight squat. And get your diet in order. Nobody can see what it is, so either tell us more or go and look at the stickies.